Saturday, April 30, 2005

Mayoral TV ads a battle of bland

Mayoral TV ads a battle of bland: "The latest television commercials by the major Pittsburgh mayoral candidates are a lot like the campaign so far. They focus on fiscal issues and are surprisingly bland.

Bland is as bland does.

Bland has been rewarded in the media in Pittsburgh throughout the years. Bland has been rewarded in the institutional circles in Pittsburgh throughout the years as well.

Bland is what career politicians seen when they look into the mirror -- and they try to use it as a benchmark of their success in this market. They have been conditioned to strive for bland.

He's a nice guy -- I know him -- Its his time -- Gotta -- Bland, bland, bland.

These guys are playing defense. Most have. They seemingly want to manage the downward spiral of the region.

To break out of the bland mold, you'd have to have something to say beyond the unified dog-license sales office, one's grandparents from Italy, and french fries sales from the days before the drive through window was invented.

Even when Bob put up an idea that wasn't too bland -- streetcar line between Oakland and downtown -- he got knocked around for it.

When Sophie put up the idea of a new baseball park -- she got knocked around by Tom Murphy for even suggesting the idea. Then Murphy went ahead and made TWO stadiums and championed the folly just months later, after being elected.

Because so little gets told in the media -- bland rules. Once you air out the story, the policies, the positions -- then bland crumbles as does the mindlessness.

I have a TV ad -- here on my desktop. It won't get onto the air. It isn't bland.

The ads should be bland, really. This is no fault of the campaigns. But, the coverage does NOT need to be bland. The coverage should be front on and raw.